Control crash diagnostic strategy and RAM display

Abstract

The present invention is a pair of counters associated with the control elements in a complex control system, in particular, counters associated with the intelligent processors in a multiprocessor control. Preferably, the counters are maintained in nonvolatile memory and one of the counters for each remote records software crashes experienced in both standby and run mode. The other counter records total software crashes during normal machine operation. These counters provide information on the location and type of software crashes. In another aspect of the invention, a procedure is provided for the Tech Rep to force the machine into a software crash. The Tech Rep can then interrogate the content of RAM locations before the RAM locations are initialized by the machine reset. The contents of various RAM locations can be selectively displayed for diagnosis.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. In a multiprocessor machine control having a plurality of processors for controlling the components of the machine to produce a result during operation of the machine and a plurality of random access memory (RAM) locations corresponding to the processors, said RAM locations storing digital information representing the status of the machine, said RAM locations periodically being reset during operation of the machine, a diagnostic method for accessing said status information relating to one of the processors including the steps of (a) maintaining status information in a RAM location corresponding to said one of the processors,   (b) manually entering the diagnostic mode,   (c) resetting all the processors except said one of the processors,   (d) accessing the contents of said RAM locations corresponding to said one of the processors prior to reset of said one of the processors,   (e) displaying the contents of said RAM locations whereby the machine may be diagnosed, and   (f) resetting the processors after displaying the contents of the RAM locations.   
     
     
       2. A control for a system having a plurality of system operating components, said operating components operating and, cooperating with one another to produce a result in a run mode, said control comprising: a plurality of control devices for controlling the operation of the operating components, each of the control devices controlling a portion of the operating components and having   means for generating indications of the operation of the control devices,   an associated counter for storing indications of the operation of the associated control device, each of the counters including   a run segment electrically connected to a portion of the operating components for maintaining indications of operation of the associated control device during the system run mode,   a standby segment electrically connected to a portion of the operating components for maintaining indications of operation of the control device during the system standby mode,   circuitry electrically connected to the control devices for storing said indications of operation of each of the control devices in the associated counter; and   a display for presenting the operation status of a selected one of the control devices in response to the indications of operation stored in the run and standby segments of the associated counter whereby the operation of the control can be diagnosed.   
     
     
       3. The control of claim 2 wherein the control devices are processors and the counters are locations in non-volatile memory. 
     
     
       4. In a machine operating in a standby mode and a run mode and having a plurality of operating stations, and a control having a plurality of processors, each of the processors for controlling the operation of a portion of the operating stations, each of the processors having an associated storage for storing indications of the operation of the associated processor and a display for presenting the contents of the storage, each associated storage having a first portion associated with the standby mode and a second portion associated with the run mode, the method of monitoring the operation of the machine including the steps of generating an indication of the status of each of the processors,   operating in the run and standby modes,   storing an indication of the status of each of the processors in the first portion of the associated storage during machine operation in the standby mode;   storing an indication of the status of each of the processors in the second portion of the associated during the machine run mode, and determining the status of a selected one of the control devices in response to the information status stored in the associated storage first portion and second portion whereby the machine operating status can be determined.   
     
     
       5. In a system having a plurality of operating elements operating in both a system standby and a system run mode, a control comprising a plurality of processors for controlling the operation of the operating elements, each of the processors controlling a portion of the operating elements and having an associated non-volatile memory for storing indications of the operation of the associated processors, each of the associated non-volatile memories including a first counter portion for storing indications of operation of the associated processor during system standby and a second counter portion for storing indications of operation of the associated processor during system run,   means for generating an indication of the status of each of the processors,   circuitry for storing an indication of the status of each of the processors in the associated non-volatile memory, and   a display for presenting the status of a selected one of the processors in response to the information status stored in the associated memory whereby the operation of the control system can be diagnosed.